Veterinary technicians, sometimes called veterinary technologists, work as part of a healthcare team. They are supervised by veterinarians, who diagnose disease and injury, prescribe treatments, and perform surgery on animals. Technicians also work with veterinary assistants, who groom and comfort animals, clean cages, and do other nonmedical work.

Veterinary technicians and technologists had median hourly earnings of $10.78 in 2001. That means that 50 percent of those workers earned more than that amount, and 50 percent earned less. The highest paid 10 percent were paid more than $15.97 an hour. The lowest paid 10 percent earned $7.65.

Self-employment in the United States
Trends in self-employment by various demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, including both the unincorporated and the incorporated self-employed, as well as data on paid employees who work for the self-employed.